Tube-cleaner.



' Patented Oct. 30; I900.

H. F. WEINLAND;

TUBE CLEANER.

(Application filed Nov. 15,1899.)

2 Shaats-$heet I.

(No Model.)

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Patent ed Oct. 30, I900. H. r. WEINLAND.

TUBE CLEANER.

(Application filed Nov. 15, 1899.}

(No Model.)-

2 Sheats'-Shaet 2.

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NiTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HENRY F. W'EINLAND, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO LAGONDA MANUFACTURING OO.,"OF SAME PLACE.

TUBE-CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660.828, dated October 30, 1900.

Application filed November 15, 1899. Serial No. 737,144. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that I, HENRY F. WEINLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in tube-cleaners.

The objects of this invention are, first, to provide yielding scraper-shaft supports, the supports which project in the same direction being each interconnected by such scrapershaft, and upon whichshaft is mounted one or more scraper-wheels or cutters; second, to provide means for taking up the slack in the driving belt or rope when changing my improved cleaner from one tube to another through the instrumentality of a tackle, and,

third, to provide means for introducing wa ter within the tube being cleaned, whereby the scale and foreign matter are washed out as the cleaner proper loosens it.

This invention also relates to details of construction and arrangement hereinafter appearing and particularly pointed out in the claims. V

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the interior of the boiler with my improved cleaner in position for operating upon one of the tubes; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the. same; Fig. 3, a horizontal sectional view of the tube-cleaner holder, showing the mechanism for rotating the tube-cleaner proper; Fig. 4, a front end view of the same; Fig. 5, a sectional view on the line to w of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a plan view of the holding device; Fig. 7, a partial sectional view of the same; Fig. 8, a plan view of the tube-cleaner proper; Fig. 9,an end view of the same; Fig. l0,a detail perspective view of a portion of the cleaner proper with the cleaner-wheels removed therefrom, and Fig. 11 a detail perspective view of one of the bearing or supporting posts for one end of the cutter-shafts. I

The letter A represents the forward portion of the boiler, the same being shown in section in Fig. 1 to more clearly illustrate the interior construction. The letter B representsa bank of water-tubes mounted therein,while the letter O represents the front end or manifold, in which the end of each of the tubes is secured. As is usual in this class of boilers, the manifold has openings through its front face opposite the ends of the tubes which are closed by caps, as shown at D. In practice the tubes are filled with Water, and the steam which is generated in them by means of the fire upon the grate-bars E passes into a steam-reservoir P, from whence it is conducted to the engine proper. (Not shown.) By this heating of the water within the tubes it is made to give up more or less of its impurities, such as lime, which deposit on the surfaceof the tubes and adhere to them so firmly that it is removed with great difficulty. As this deposit graducould not be readily operated back and forth throughout the length of the tube at'the will of the operator and could not be quickly and easily adjusted from one tube to another. All of these difficulties are overcome in this invention, as will hereinafter more fully appear. I I

The letter G represents the tube-cleaner holder, which is shouldered at H to fit against the outer face of the manifold, while the inner end I of said holder is of sufficient length to project within the outer end of the tube to be cleaned. This projection snugly fits such outer end, as illustrated in-Fig. 1. Within the outer end of said holder is mounted a sleeve J upon roller-bearings K, as will herewill be seen that the sleeve J is also rotated. A square hole 2 extends longitudinally through the sleeve J and through which extends the cleaner-rod B. At the inner end of this rod is secured my improved cleaner S in any suitable manner, such as by inserting the cleaner-shaft within the cleaner-rod, so that the spring-detent carried by said shaft will engage therewith.

Referring now to the cleanerproper, it will be seen that it is composed of a shaft U, to which is cast or otherwise secured guideplates V V and W W, respectively. There are preferably three sets of the guide-plates W W". The respective plates V V project from opposite faces of the shaft U in both directions therefrom. Between each of these guide-plates is mounted a slidable bearing X, which is adapted to project within a hole 2 in the shaft U. One side of this hole is notched or grooved, as shown at 3. This notch or groove is for the reception of a pin 4, projecting from the shank of the movable bearing 5. This shank is so constructed that the sliding hearing may be readilyinserted and when in place between the guides will be held in such position, the pin preventing the guide from turning. A spring is coiled about the shank of the yielding bearing and rests on top of the shaft U, thus holding the bearing in its normally-raised position, but yet permitting the bearing to yield. when downward pressure is applied thereto. It will be understood that the hole 2 extends entirely through the shaft V and that in the other end of it is mounted a shank of a similarlyconstructed movable bearing. For each set of guides V and V there is a pair of yieldable bearings adapted to operate up and down between each of their respective ends. It will also be understood that there are as many holes 2 extending through the shafts as there are pairs of guideplates. In the movable bearings are mounted shafts 7, as illustrated in Fig. 8, and each shaft carries its cutters 8, with spacing-washers 9 between them. These cutters are loosely mounted, so that they may freely rotate on their respective shafts. As the shaft U, together with the cutters, is rotated the scale in the interior of the pipes Bis removed. Vhen, however, the cutter strikes some unusuallyhard scaly obstruction, by reason of the spring 6 they will yield instead of being injured, yet at the same time they will be held so closely in contact with such scale that they will tend to crack and loosen it, and by running the cutter once or twice over the same place such very hard scale will be removed.

I will refer to the manner in which the cleaner-rod R is made to operate back and forth together with the cleaner proper.

From Fig. 1 it will be observed that on the outer end of the shaft R is mounted a holding device consisting of a pair of handles 10, with a stud or shank ll rotatably mounted therein, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. This shank or stud has an enlarged head 12,

grooved, as shown at 13. About the curved head of the stud and within the handles 10 is poured Babbitt metal in a molten condition, such metal extending into the grooves 14 within the handle and such grooves extending circumferentially around the bored-out ortion 15. The stud 11 has a hole 16 therein, in which is mounted a detent 17, having a spring 18 beneath it to cause it to normally stand outward from the stud. In order to prevent the detent from springing entirely out of its hole, I provide a pin or rivet 19, which extends through the hole and fits in the cut-out portion 20 of the detent, thus permitting it to slide back and forth and yet preventing its springing out. The stud is adapted to be inserted within a hole 21 in the outer end of the cleaner-rod, such rod also having a hole 22 for the reception of the detent. Thus as the stud is inserted within the end of the rod the detent 17 is projected by its spring into the hole 22 and prevents the withdrawal of the stud therefrom. By this construction of the handle or holder it will be observed that the operator may move the cleaner back and forth while it is being rapidly rotated by the driving mechanism, hereinafter appearing.

Referring again to the roller-bearing upon which the driving-sleeve J is mounted, it will be observed that in each end of the annular recess 23, as particularly seen in Fig. 3, is

mounted a ring 24. These rings are provided with a number of holes 25 therein. The rollers K are turned down at their ends to form gudgeons 26, and these gudgeons extend with in and rotate in holes 25. The function of the rings is to prevent the rollers K from getting out of place or rolling together, and as many are placed in the annular recess 23 as desired.

Referring now to the driving mechanism, it will be observed that to the under side of the tube-cleaner holder G is hooked a pulleysupport 27 through eyes 28, formed in the tube-cleaner holder. Near the lower end of this pulley-support is mounted a pair of pulleys 29. About these pulleys, as also over the grooved pulley O, is placed a rope or belt 30, which runs 01f to a power device. (Not illustrated.) In order to hold the lower end of the pulley-support in position, I have provided suitable rope and tackle, as shown at 31, the free end of the rope being adapted to wind about a post 32 or to be held in any other suitable manner. I

When it is desired to clean the tubes, the doors opening into the manifold are thrown back and some of the screw-caps D. are removed. The cleaner-holder is then insorted through the manifold-opening into one end of a tube, the cleaning-tool having first been inserted with such holder and extending out through the hole within the same. Right and left hand screw-threaded hooks 33 are hooked into an eye formed in a projection 34 from the tool-holder and into the manifold. These screw-threaded hooks are connected together by means of a nut 35, which may be turned to tighten up upon the hooks, and thereby hold the tube-cleaner in place. The operator next takes hold of the handle, and as the power is applied and the cleaner-shaft rotated he moves the shaft in and out Within the tube, and the tube-cleaner proper is thereby made to act upon the scale in the manner above described. In order to drive the scale out of the tubes after it has been loosened by the cleaner, it will be seen that the cleaner-holder is provided with a screw threaded opening 36, in which is screwed one end of a water-pipe 37, the water passing in through the space 38, surrounding the cleaner-rod. After one tube has been cleaned the tackle is loosened from around its post 32 and the hooks 33 are dis .done without interfering with the power rope or belt and without throwing the belt off from the driving-pulley, because the instant the tackle is loosened it permits the driving-belt to slacken to such an extent that the belt comes to a standstill. In this same manner the cleaning device is changed from one tube to another without at all interfering with the belt, thus saving much time and annoyance in the operation of cleaning the boiler.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tube-cleaner, the combination with a tube-cleaner holder, having a shoulder therein, of a rotatably-mounted sleeve having a flange adapted to come in contact with said shoulder, rollers mounted between said sleeve and holder to constitute roller-bearings for the sleeve, a driving-pulley rigidly mounted upon the outer end of said sleeve, said sleeve having an angular opening, a cleaner-rod adapted to fit said angular opening and slidably mounted therein, a non-rotatable handle connected with said cleanerrod and adapted to reciprocate said rod, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a tube-cleaner, the combination with a tube cleaner holder, having an annular shoulder therein, of a sleeve having an angular hole extending longitudinally through it, and an annular flange projecting outward from its inner end, and mounted within said holder, said flange engaging with the shoulder in the holder, a pair of rings mounted in an annular space about the sleeve, rollers having their ends reduced to form gudgeons mounted in holes in said rings, said rollers acting to support said sleeve, a pulley rigidly mounted on the outer end of said sleeve, a cleaner-"shaft carrying a cleaner at its inner end adapted to extend through the angular opening in said sleeve, a handle having a hole or opening therein, with a headed stud rotatably mounted in said opening and adaptedto engage with said cleaner-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a tube-cleaner, the combination with a tube cleaner holder, having an exterior flange removed a short distance from its lower end, and an interior shoulder, a pair of lugs or extensions projecting from one up and the other down on opposite sides of said holder near its outer end, said lugs each having a hole or opening therein, the inner end of said support adapted to project within one end of a boiler-tube to be cleaned, and the exterior flange acting as a stop to limit its movement within said tube, means for engaging the upper lug and with a portion of the boiler to hold said shoulder in position within a tube and its flange against said boiler, and means engaging the other of said lugs to support guidepulleys, substantially as shown and described.

i. In a tube-cleaner, the combination with an operating-handle having a hole or opening therein, with one or more annular grooves in the wall of said opening, of a stud-shaft having an enlarged head with a groove therein, said enlarged head fitting within said hole or opening, and a wearing-surface between said grooved head and said handle, and means connected with said stud for engaging the outer end of the cleaner-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a tube-cleaner, the combination with a shaft having holes or openings therein, of yielding bearings separated from each other and having shanks adapted to extend within said holes, two or more of said bearings projecting from opposite sides of the shaft in line with each other, a cutter-shaft mounted in and connecting the separated yielding bearings, which project from one side of the shaft, together, and rotatable cutters carried by each of said cutter-shafts, all substantially as shown and described.

IIC

6. In a tube-cleaner proper, the combination I with a shaft having holes therein, said holes having grooves or channels in their sides, of

yieldable bearing-supports adapted to extendhaving shanks adapted to fit withinsaid holes,

a lug or projection extending from each of said shanks adapted to fit within said groove, guide-plates projecting outward from said shaft between which said bearing-posts fit, a spring adapted to rest upon said shaft at one end and against said bearing at its other end whereby the bearing is normally maintained in its outer position, cutter-shafts, connecting the respective bearings together, mounted therein, and said cutter-shafts having loosely-mounted rotatable cutters thereon, as also collars or washers between said bearings and cutters and between said cutters, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a tube-cleaner, the combination with a tube-c1eaner holder, a projection extending therefrom having a hole therein, an idler-pulley support, a hook projecting therefrom and adapted to hook into the hole in said projection, a pair of idler-pulleys mounted on said idler-pulley support, a second hook projecting from said support, a pulley attached to said hook, and another pulley, a rope secured to said other pulley at one end and passing around over the pulley connected with said second hook and back around said other pulley, all substantially as shown and described.

9. In a tube-cleaner, the combination with a tube-cleaner holder having a flange projecting therefrom about midway its length, a pair,

of lateral projections also extending from said holder substantially diametrically opposite each other, said flanges or projections each having a hole or opening therein, said holder having an enlarged portion and a reduced portion in its interior, a sleeve having an annular hole or opening therein, a flange extending from said sleeve near one end, said flange being adapted to fit against said reduced portion of said holder, roller-bearings between said holder and sleeve, a drive-wheel fixedly mounted on said sleeve adjacent to the outer end of said holder, said holder having a hole or opening therein back of its flange, such hole or opening entering the enlarged portion of said holder, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. WEINLAND. Witnesses:

B. B. ESTERLINE, W. M. MONAIR. 

